manx celtic music and dance

RESEARCH ARTICLE - The Sword Dance

29 Mar 2016

“SWORD DANCE”

 ‘THE DIRK DANCE’

AS NOTED BY MONA DOUGLAS

Sword Dance.

Danced by J. Kermode, Port Mooar: tune sung by Mrs Kermode, & noted. Have not found any corresponding air in Gill or Clague. K. said it was “the dance the old Kings of Mann” were using to do before now,” & he had learnt it from his father. He thought there would be a number of men in the Island that could do it, but it had never been a well-known dance so far as he knew. I got the impression that there was something ceremonial about it, but could not find out by questioning that it was connected with any special season, or custom, or that it was anything but just a dance executed for its own sake. The sword that he used, which he called simply a skynn, was quite a small thing, very short & light, & it looked fairly old. He said it had been in his family a long time. 

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By Stephen Miller, Vienna

 

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